


catching on the fly

by or-ng-c-ss-dy (o_r_ng_c_ss_dy)



Series: moonshine and orange drink [1]
Category: All Elite Wrestling
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, First Meetings, M/M, Olde Au, future relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:33:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27536092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/o_r_ng_c_ss_dy/pseuds/or-ng-c-ss-dy
Summary: he had to keep running, from his past and from himself.and, yet, he found himself stopped.
Relationships: Orange Cassidy/Chuck Taylor
Series: moonshine and orange drink [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012569
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	catching on the fly

**Author's Note:**

> hey, i'm not gonna call this a series...more like something i'm going to do when i feel like it. but i definitely have some ideas as to where this is going to go, so hopefully i'll keep up with it.
> 
> the title refers to someone hopping a freight train while it's moving.
> 
> enjoy!

It was early when his train finally blew into town, the blaring horn waking him from his uneasy slumber.

It had been a hell of a time, running from Kentucky, from the chain gang that worked him to the bone, from the only life a fellow like him could build up. And the moonshiners had been far kinder to him than anyone else he had known, a broke man like him, he fit right in with them.

But all things come to a bitter end eventually, and Chuck saw his opportunity to run and he took it, even if it meant leaving the boys behind. Between the moonshining and the fighting for pay, he had earned the right to be selfish for once.

Chuck hopped off the freight before it rolled into the station, he certainly didn't want to get caught and sent back to jail for vagrancy. Especially if they found out he had a warrant for escaping prison, they'd send his ass right back to that Kentucky chain gang, building those endless rails for an optimistic country not meant for folks like him.

He hadn't exactly meant to make his way to Philadelphia, he had aimed for New York City, but the maps were pretty hard to read for a boy who pretty much just learned his ABCs, so he figured that it was close enough. 

It was louder than any place he had ever been and that suited him just fine, he could disappear into the noise of a big city. He managed to find a place to shed his stripes, stealing some trousers, a vest, and a button up shirt off of someone's clothesline, making himself look like he was in his Sunday best. Which was how people in Philadelphia seemed to dress all the time, far more different from what he would usually wear from day to day back home.

The clothes itch but his accent and worn hands would be enough of a giveaway that he didn't really belong, the least he could do was blend in at first sight. Still, Chuck fiddled with the collar of his shirt as he stepped out into the busy crowd, trying to make his stolen clothes sit right as he took the first step into his reclaimed life.

He was going to change. He was going to be a better man. He'd find some honest work, maybe land himself a pretty little wife who wouldn't ask too many questions about the person he was before, and they'd have a bunch of kids. Chuck would have a normal life, the life he was supposed to want.

And that was when he knocked into someone, nearly knocking him off of his feet. Glass rattled in the tray and the man gasped as he finally lost his balance, falling forward into Chuck and spilling whatever liquid was in the glasses all over Chuck's newly stolen wardrobe.

"Oh! Shoot! I am so sorry, sir, that was my fault!" The man gasped, looking up at Chuck with worried, wide blue eyes.

Little hands came up and started patting at his chest, like he could do something about the liquid covering him without a rag. Chuck's first instinct was to yell at the man, tell him that it was his fault and that he owes him money for his clothing. But then he noticed golden blond hair and wide eyes, and he nearly choked on air.

Chuck had never seen a guy that he might want to describe as _pretty_ before, never figured that he’d ever have to. After all, the men back home weren’t exactly allowed to be pretty but maybe Philadelphia was different. And, yet, he was pretty and was also getting increasingly more flustered as Chuck continued to gawk at him without saying a word, stammering out more apologies.

"It's alright. Shi-- uh… _stuff_ happens." Chuck mumbled, awkwardly brushing off the man's hands. 

The man’s eyes lit up and he grinned at Chuck, head tilted up.

"Say, you're not from around here, are you? Did you just blow into town?"

Chuck cleared his throat, eyes wide for a second as he tried to play it cool.

"Uhh yeah, this mornin' actually." Chuck said.

The pretty man clapped, grin still on his face.

"Let me walk you to where you're staying! It's the least I can do after I went and spilled my orange drink on you."

Oh right. People who come to a new place generally have an idea of where they're staying. He could find a hostel of some sorts, but he really didn't have any money. Or any belongings to pawn off, the only thing he had were the newly ruined, stolen clothes on his back and a knife tucked into his boot.

"I uh...I don't have a place yet. Bit of a spur of the moment move." Chuck clarified, and the stranger gasped.

"Oh! That's even better, you could come and stay with me. My roommate just moved out and it's the least that I can do after messing up your clothes."

"I don't even know you." He rudely blurted out.

But the man just laughed, sticking his hand out and grinning broadly.

"Oh yeah. The name's Julius. Julius Cassidy. But my friends call me Orange."

"Orange," Chuck tried, a grin of his own breaking out over his face before he could stop it, "Chuck Taylor."

He took Orange's hand in his. It was much smaller than his own, fitting neatly as he closed his finger around it. Chuck would go so far as to call it delicate, but the word sat strange in his head, so he decided to just think of his hand as small instead. They shook hands for a little too long before Chuck finally released him.

"See? Now we know each other. So come on, let's go to my place and get you cleaned up." Orange said, picking his tray up.

Chuck was taking it from him before he could even think, Orange looking a little taken aback. But he just smiled and started to walk through the busy crowd, linking their arms together so they didn't get separated.

He could only think that, either Philadelphia was the friendliest city in all of America, or that Orange was a naive boy who was probably too friendly for his own good. But, hey, he was the one that made the offer, Chuck was just taking advantage of the offer of a place to stay. And Orange had spilled his orange drink all over him, so it really was the least he could do.

There was also the fact that Chuck really hadn't ever seen a man like that before. A part of him wanted to learn more about him...and about himself, and what it could mean to notice someone like that to that extent. So he let Orange lead him off and figured that it would only be a few nights anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed! you can find me on tumblr, @ [ or-ng-c-ss-dy ](https://or-ng-c-ss-dy.tumblr.com/).


End file.
